Lou Maas

An Inspiring Retirement

For nearly twenty years Lou Mass has been a constant presence at the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Craig Street Clubhouse. Forgoing a retirement of rest and leisure Lou instead gives his time to the children who frequent the Clubhouse. Located in Hamilton Hill, the Clubhouse serves at-risk youth in one of the most impoverished areas of Schenectady County.

As a new retiree, Lou Maas relocated to Schenectady, New York in 1991. He quickly made the Boys & Girls Clubs the focus of his new found free time working directly with the children. He was a regular volunteer in the homework help program.

While Lou has been an advocate for the Clubhouse and has been able to recruit others to volunteer and contribute to the Clubs, his greatest legacy will be the outdoor recreation facility he has been working on for the past three years.

Playgrounds located near Hamilton Hill often turn into late night hangouts and fall victim to vandalism. Lou envisioned a different kind of playground. He imagined an outdoor recreation center that was a safe place for the children of Schenectady to play.

Over the past several years Lou raised more than $80,000 by reaching out to numerous foundations and community organizations. He obtained in-kind services to reduce construction costs. The work is nearing completion and soon the sounds of dribbling balls and squeals of delight will be heard. The site has been repaved and the basketball court is striped and the hoops are in place. The area is secured with fencing, security cameras and proper lighting. When completed this spring, there will be a children’s playground, picnic and gaming tables and a garden that will be tended to by the youth of the community with adult supervision.

Lou’s vision for a safe and nurturing recreational center for the children of Schenectady is about to become a reality.